The approaches described in this section could be pursued, but are not necessarily approaches that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, the approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims in this application and are not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Computers are powerful tools for accessing and storing vast amounts of information. Computer databases are a common mechanism for storing information on computer systems. Databases can take many different forms. One typical database is a collection of tables having rows and columns of information. For example, a database table of employees may have a row for each employee, and the columns designating specifics about the employee, such as the employee's name, address, salary, etc.
There are many different types of databases and database systems. In many instances, a database may be accessed by many users simultaneously. The database may be accessed using any suitable connection, such as the Internet. In the event that a user lacks a connection to the database, that user would then not be able to access the information in the database. In some situations, a constant connection to a centralized or main database is not possible. In those situations, a replicated database system is a potential solution.
Replicated database systems provide many advantages. In particular, in an environment where a stable connection to the main database does not exist, replicating the main database ensures that work can continue even when no connection is available. However, even with state of the art security controls, replicated systems present a fundamental security risk simply because there are multiple copies of data in existence, and the physical security of each copy cannot be guaranteed. Improved security methods for replicated databases are needed.